1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to orbiting vane compressors, and more particularly, to an oil supply structure for a slider of an orbiting vane compressor that is capable of providing effective lubrication to reciprocating surfaces of the slider reciprocating in an annular space of a compressor cylinder.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates the interior configuration of a general orbiting vane compressor. Referring to FIG. 1, the orbiting vane compressor generally comprises a shell 1 configured such that refrigerant gas is introduced through a lower refrigerant suction tube 1a and is discharged to the outside of the shell 1 through an upper refrigerant discharge tube 1b. A crankshaft 6 is vertically mounted in the shell 1 to be rotatably supported by means of upper and lower flanges 7 and 7a. The crankshaft 6 has an eccentric unit 6a at the lower portion thereof. A drive unit D and a compression unit P are also mounted in the shell 1 at the upper and lower portions of the crankshaft 6. The drive unit D includes a stator 2, and a rotor 3 disposed in the stator 2 to drive the crankshaft 6 upon receiving electric current. The compression unit P includes an orbiting vane 4 coupled to the eccentric unit 6a of the crankshaft 6, and a cylinder 5 disposed beneath the orbiting vane 4. The orbiting vane 4 has a circular vane 4a, which performs an orbiting movement in an annular space 5a, defined between an inner ring 5b and the inner wall of the cylinder 5, according to a rotation of the crankshaft 6. As a result of the orbiting movement, refrigerant gas, introduced into the cylinder 5 through an inlet 5c formed at one side of the cylinder 5, is compressed and discharged to the interior of the shell 1.
After being compressed in the annular space 5a of the cylinder 5 through the orbiting movement of the orbiting vane 4, the refrigerant gas is discharged to a muffler 8, which encloses a lower surface of the lower flange 7a, by passing through the cylinder 5 and the lower flange 7a, thereby being discharged to the interior of the shell 1 via a discharge pipe 9 provided at the muffler 8.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the compression unit P of the general orbiting vane compressor. Referring to FIG. 2, as stated above, the compression unit P of the conventional orbiting vane compressor includes the cylinder 5 disposed in the lower region of the compressor and having the annular space 5a defined between the inner ring 5b and the inner wall of the cylinder 5, and the orbiting vane 4 having the circular vane 4a and a boss 4b formed at the lower surface of a vane plate 4c to be inserted respectively into the annular space 5a and the inner ring 5b, the orbiting vane 4 performing an orbiting movement. The compression unit P further includes a slider 70 inserted into the annular space 5a to perform a reciprocating movement while coming into close contact at a lateral surface thereof with a linear lateral edge of the circular vane 4a defining an opening 41a. 
The annular space 5a includes a linear portion 51a in one end region thereof. The slider 70 is inserted in the linear portion 51a such that the lateral surface thereof comes into close contact with the linear lateral edge of the circular vane 4a defining the opening 41a. As the circular vane 4a performs an orbiting movement, the slider 70 linearly reciprocates in the linear portion 51a. 
The slider 70 configured as stated above serves to isolate a pair of compression chambers, defined at the inside and the outside of the circular vane 4a, from each other as it is disposed in the opening 41a of the circular vane 4a. The slider 70 performs a reciprocating movement while coming into close contact with the linear lateral edge of the circular vane 4a defining the opening 41a, the inner wall of the cylinder 5 at the linear portion 51a of the annular space 5a, and the lower surface of the vane plate 4c. 
The conventional orbiting vane compressor, however, has a problem in that it fails to provide effective lubrication to respective reciprocating surfaces of the slider, resulting in excessive friction at the reciprocating surfaces. Such an excessive friction consequently deteriorates the reliability and performance of the compressor.